While occasional sleep disturbances are common in children, chronic sleep disorders, can be disruptive to their energy levels, growth, mood, and overall quality of life. Dr. Jennifer Yee explains:

Chronic sleep disorders in children can include:

– Insomnia: includes difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or children not being well rested after what should be an adequate amount of sleep. Learn more here.

– Snoring & sleep apnea: breathing is partially or completely blocked during sleep. Most often related to larger than typical tonsils and/or adenoids.

– Restless leg syndrome & “growing pains”: uncomfortable sensations (tingling, pain, “pins and needles,” itchiness) in the legs with an urge to move them. It can happen in the daytime but is more likely to be experienced at night.

– Bedwetting: may be a typical part of a child’s development and generally isn’t a concern before age 7. If a child suddenly starts bedwetting again after a few months of being dry at night or is older than 7, there may be an underlying condition that needs medical attention.

– Sleep talking and excessive sleep movements.

– Nightmares

– Parasomnias: disruptive sleep-related behaviours which include sleepwalking and night terrors. 

In general, sleep disorders, particularly parasomnias, are not likely to persist into adolescence; however, they can be possible indicators of health issues that should be screened for and treated as indicated. For example, insomnia may be related to factors like inconsistent sleep routine, anxiety, ADHD or hyperactivity caused by food intolerances. Snoring and sleep apnea are most often related to larger than typical tonsils and/or adenoids, which are frequent indicators of food intolerances and imbalanced immune/allergic responses. Restless leg syndrome or pain in the legs can be caused by nutrient deficiencies (e.g. iron, magnesium). Bedwetting can be related to anxiety, food intolerances underlying urinary tract or systemic infection, diabetes or blood sugar management issues. Sleep talking, excessive sleep movements and nightmares can be related to an overstimulated nervous system (e.g. anxiety, stress, ADHD) and certain nutritional deficiencies. More disruptive parasomnias such as sleepwalking and night terrors can be caused by some of the potential causes listed previously – anxiety, stress, overactive nervous system, ADHD, imbalanced immune system, nutritional deficiencies and food intolerances. 

A more recent consideration for sleep disorders in children is PANDAS (pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcus) and PANS (pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome). PANDAS/PANS develops when the body has an inappropriate immune response to an infection (frequently a “strep” infection but can involve other types of infections as well, such as the flu, mononucleosis, or Lyme disease). An autoimmune response causes the immune system to target the brain and nervous system, producing inflammation and irritation in specific parts of the brain that can affect behaviour, movement, mood, sleep, sensation, and thought processing. The sudden occurrence of bedwetting, night terrors and/or insomnia, particularly if there is a recent infection (e.g. strep throat, flu, etc.) or a history of repeated infections, can be an indication that further investigation is warranted. More detailed information about PANDAS and PANS can be found here.

As you can see, sleep disruption and sleep disorders in children can range from relatively minor to more disruptive. They can have a multitude of potential causes that can be assessed and potentially addressed with naturopathic medicine.